Error while checking if a file exists

Question

I'm trying to write to a plist file using writeToFile, before I write I check whether the file exists. This is the code: ``` #import "WindowController.h" @implementation WindowController @synthesize contacts; NSString *filePath; NSFileManager *fileManager; - (IBAction)addContactAction:(id)sender { NSDictionary *dict =[NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys: [txtFirstName stringValue], @"firstName", [txtLastName stringValue], @"lastName", [txtPhoneNumber stringValue], @"phoneNumber", nil]; [arrayContacts addObject:dict]; [self updateFile]; } - (void)awakeFromNib { NSString *rootPath = [NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES) objectAtIndex:0]; filePath = [rootPath stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"Contacts.plist"]; fileManager = [NSFileManager defaultManager]; contacts = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init]; if ([fileManager fileExistsAtPath:filePath]) { NSMutableArray *contactsFile = [[NSMutableArray alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:filePath]; for (id co…

Accepted Answer

You are setting filePath with the stringByAppendingPathComponent: method. That method returns an autoreleased object. (Autoreleased object is used after it has been (automatically) released, which could cause the bad access error.)

I think changing

```
[rootPath stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"Contacts.plist"];
```

into

```
[[rootPath stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"Contacts.plist"] retain];
```

will solve your troubles.

Error while checking if a file exists

Solution

Problem